Cigarette consumption by age

Bar chart showing average daily cigarette consumption by age group in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

In 2020, average daily cigarette consumption varied significantly by age group.16 Consumption was lowest among smokers aged 15-24, at fewer than 9 cigarettes per day (CPD), compared to a high of 13 CPD among smokers aged 25 through 54 (Figure 1.9).

Between 1999 and 2020, average daily cigarette consumption appears to have decreased overall in all age groups, though least among smokers aged 25-34 (Figure 1.10). A general pattern of increasing consumption with increasing age (though often a slight drop after 55) held for most years between 1999 and 2020, although with some variation.

Figure 1.9 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 1.9: Average daily cigarette consumption*(mean cigarettes per day) by age group, 2020
  15-24** 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
2020

8.8

[6.8-10.9]

13.0

[8.8-17.2]

13.0

[8.6-17.3]

13.0

[1.8-15.1]

12.4

[10.8-13.9]

*Among daily smokers.
**Age groups 15-19 and 20-24 combined due to low numbers.
Data source: Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020.

Figure 1.10 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 1.10: Average daily cigarette consumption*(mean cigarettes per day) by age group, 1999-2020
  15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
1999 13.1 15.0 15.8 19.0 19.6 17.9
2000 12.7 13.9 16.2 17.6 18.5 18.4
2001 12.9 [11.9-13.8] 13.9 [13.1-14.8] 14.4 [13.2-15.6] 17.9 [16.6-19.2] 17.1 [16.0-18.3] 17.7 [15.6-19.7]
2002 12.9 [12.2-13.7] 14.0 [13.0-15.0] 14.2 [13.2-15.2] 18.1 [17.2-19.1] 18.4 [17.3-19.6] 17.6 [15.6-19.5]
2003 12.3 [11.5-13.1] 12.7 [11.9-13.6] 15.0 [13.8-16.2] 15.5 [14.5-16.5] 17.8 [16.4-19.2] 18.4 [16.7-20.0]
2004 11.6 [10.4-12.8] 12.8 [11.8-13.8] 13.6 [12.3-14.9] 16.0 [14.5-17.5] 17.8 [16.5-19.1] 15.9 [14.3-17.5]
2005 11.0 [10.0-12.0] 13.3 [12.4-14.2] 14.4 [13.1-15.7] 16.2 [14.8-17.6] 19.0 [16.9-21.1] 15.7 [14.3-17.1]
2006 12.3 [11.3-13.3] 12.9 [12.1-13.7] 13.8 [12.3-15.4] 16.0 [14.8-17.3] 17.9 [16.7-19.0] 15.8 [14.4-17.3]
2007 11.7 [10.7-12.8] 13.0 [12.1-14.0] 13.2 [12.1-14.3] 16.1 [14.8-17.5] 17.2 [16.0-18.3] 16.6 [15.1-18.2]
2008 12.2 [11.2-13.3] 12.2 [11.3-13.2] 13.2 [11.6-14.8] 15.7 [14.1-17.2] 15.7 [14.3-17.0] 16.7 [15.3-18.1]
2009 11.4 [10.3-12.6] 12.9 [11.9-13.8] 12.5 [11.3-13.7] 13.4 [12.2-14.7] 16.9 [15.8-17.9] 15.8 [14.5-17.1]
2010 11.6 [10.6-12.6] 12.7 [11.7-13.8] 14.3 [12.8-15.9] 14.9 [13.4-16.5] 16.6 [15.0-18.2] 15.9 [14.6-17.2]
2011 11.7 [1.03-13.22] 11.9 [10.9-12.9] 11.8 [10.5-13.2] 14.8 [13.3-16.3] 16.6 [15.2-18.0] 15.2 [13.9-16.5]
2012 11.1 [9.1-13.2] 12.7 [11.5-13.9] 13.3 [11.5-15.0] 15.3 [13.0-17.6] 15.9 [14.2-17.6] 16.6 [15.1-18.0]
2013 9.21 [7.6-10.9] 11.8 [10.3-13.2] 12.8 [11.2-14.4] 14.3 [12.4-16.1] 14.6 [12.9-16.4] 15.2 [14.0-16.4]
2015

11.6 [9.1-14.1]

11.8 [10.3-13.4]

12.1  [9.8-14.5]

13.9 [11.9-16.0]

15.2 [13.7-16.8]

14.5 [13.0-16.1]
2017

9.4 [7.5-11.3]

10.7 [9.4-11.9]

15.3 [11.3-19.2]

11.3 [9.0-13.6]

15.0 [13.0-17.0]

14.0 [12.6-15.4]
2019 8.9 [7.2-10.7]** 10.6 [8.3-12.9] 10.4 [8.9-11.8] 12.4 [10.6-14.1] 12.7 [11.2-14.2]
2020 8.8 [6.8-10.9]** 13.0 [8.8-17.2] 13.0 [8.6-17.3] 13.0 [10.8-15.1] 12.4 [10.8-13.9]

*Among daily smokers.
**In 2019 and 2020, age groups 15-19 and 20-24 combined due to low numbers.
Data sources: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 1999-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.